Sea Monster
A Twisting Tail Chapter 5 Sea Monster Percy and Jason were about to leave the Beachside when Piper,Hazel,and Annabeth dove off the docks.Jason stopped,starring at the spot where they had submerged. “Dude,"Percy said,“Why do you keep following those girls?" “Because there is something weird about them."Jason looked at Percy as if Percy should know that.“They first want my boat then give it back,mysteriously disappear whenever they get wet,now they dive off a dock for no reason.Isn't that strange to you?" Percy shrugged.“Yeah,I guess,but it could just be a coincidence." “When is anything that happens to us a coincidence?"Jason asked,almost sarcastically. Percy sighed.Jason had a point.Still,it seemed Jason was taking this too far. Jason walked over to his recently reclaimed speedboat and got to work untying it from the dock.“You coming?" “Coming where?"Jason thought the girls were being weird?Did he not hear himself? “You think I'm gonna follow them,don't you?"When Percy nodded,he laughed.“No,stupid!You make it sound like I'm stalking them." “You kind of are,Jason." “Shut up.You comin' or not?" Percy shrugged and stepped into the boat.Jason followed and started the engine. Hazel came to the surface,and took a deep breath.Piper surfaced behind her.“Where's Annabeth?" Hazel shrugged just as the blond poked her head above the water.Hazel starred at Piper.“You have scales.On your neck." Pale orange scales sprouted around Piper's neck like a collar.She gulped.“What is happening to us?" “And why only you?"Hazel asked. “She was tue first one in the pool,"Annabeth reminded her. Hazel shuddered.“Why?It was WATER,people,stinkin' water!" Annabeth,Piper,and Hazel starred at each other,none of them having answers. A sound started behind them.Hazel looked up.“Guys,we have company."Annabeth and Piper turned and saw the boat kicking up spray.Immediately they all dove. They had decided before that it would be dangerous to let anyone see them as...well...fish.But here came a boat.Just as Hazel went under,she saw the name on the side of the boat.Surprisingly,it was hard to read,but she understood anyway. Jason. Piper surfaced beside the docks.Quickly she glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to see them,then climbed onto a dry shelf of sand under the dock.Hazel had discovered the shelf and decided it was a good place to surface after a swim. “Piper,"Hazel said as she surfaced,“I haven't seen Annabeth since we raced to the reef.Where would she be?" Piper shrugged.“Annabeth is smart.She'll be alright.I can call her later." Hazel nodded uneasily. Annabeth swam towards the distant island.She looked up as a shadow covered her.The shape of a large boat covered her.She gulped. Chances were good that the boat had sonar. Jason looked at the little screen in the boat.“Hey,Percy,check this out,"he said. Percy glanced at the screen and did a double take.Something in the area was swimming at least 150 miles an hour,maybe more. The speed mounted till the animal - whatever it was - was directly under the boat.Then it stopped. “There is no way that's a dolphin."Percy said.He leaned over the side of the boat to try and glimpse the creature. Jason snorted.“No kiddin'." Annabeth looked up,hoping against hope against hope that the boat didn't know she was there.She didn't dare move - if they had sonar,they'd know her speed,which was anything but normal,and she knew that if she saw something move that fast,she would follow it. And that could only end in disaster. Finally,after nothing happened for several long moments,she moved on as slowly as she could. But she didn't know how close she was to the island until she reached the shallows. “Hey,I see something!"Jason yelled so loud that Percy thought his ears would explode. Percy stood in the boat and went to look over the side.Just as he reached the side,he saw a bright orange fluke slide beneath the boat.It was wide,like a dolphins,but bright orange and was flatter.And there was no way that thing was a dolphin. While Percy and Jason were standing over the side of the boat,Annabeth shot beneath it at break neck speed.Silently she yelled at herself for being seen.And by Jason and Percy,of all people. With an inward sigh,she headed back towards the mainland. Hazel felt her phone vibrate.Opening it,she knew there was trouble.She had,like,thirty messages from Annabeth and Piper,none of them good. Piper: Meet w/ me & Annabeth @ Beachside,now! Annabeth: Hurry up!Important! Annabeth: Where are you? Piper: Beachside,now? Annabeth: Are you even getting my messages? Piper: Earth to Hazel,we need you right now! And so on.Hazel ran as fast as she could. When she opened the door to the Beachside,she had to scan the crowded room for Annabeth and Piper.Her phone vibrated again.Finally she saw them on the other side of the crowded Cafe. She could hear Piper and Annabeth talking in hushed tones. “Are you sure he saw?"Piper asked. Annabeth nodded.“Positive.They both did." “Who saw what?"Hazel interrupted,taking a seat in the booth next to Annabeth.She had a creeping suspicion she knew. “Jason and Percy were out in his boat yesterday,"Annabeth began.Hazel nodded.She knew that.“They saw me.In the water." “They saw you?"Hazel asked in horror. Annabeth nodded,looking equally upset.“Well,not me,just my tail,but..." “But bad things are definetely gonna happen,"Piper sighed. As if on cue,Jason Grace walked into the Beachside.At the top of his lungs,he said,“There is a sea monster out by Olym Island!" A lot of laughing errupted in the Cafe.The owner,Frank Zhang,gave a laugh from behind the counter. “Now or never,"Piper muttered. Jason was trying to convince the customers that there really was a sea monster,that he had seen it.“It's true!It swam super fast,and had an orange tail with a fluke!" “Yeah,sure,Jason,"Hazel said,“Just like the unicorn in your boat.I remember,but didn't you sell it?At least,that's why you said I've never seen it,"she laughed. Annabeth joined in,saying,“You told me that I never saw the unicorn because a witch stole it." Piper snickered.“What about the goblin in your basement?Didn't you say he was invisible?" Jason's eyes filled with hatred,frustration,anger.“I never said any of those things!You're making it up!" “Are we,Jason?"Piper asked innocently,“Or are you?Sea monsters don't exist.Do they,Annabeth?" Annabeth shook her head. Percy hung back,drinking his soda,watching.Jason turned to him,a pleading look in his face.Percy reluctantly stood.“I was there,"he announced.“It is real." More laughter started.Jason fumed as he walked out of the Cafe.“Shouldn't have done that,"Frank said from behind the counter,“I probably just lost a customer." Annabeth,Piper,and Hazel ignored him.They exchanged relieved glances.Lydia,the redheaded waitress,Walked over to their table.“Can I get you anything?"She asked. “Three smoothies,a strawberry,a mango,and a blueberry surprise."Annabeth said from memory.Hazel smiled as her friend remembered what flavors she and Piper liked.Annabeth glanced at them and mouthed,It's on me. Lydia smiled and wrote down the order on her notepad as she walked away. “Today,"Hazel said,“We celebrate." Piper shook her head.“What about Percy and Jason?There is no way they will forget that fast." Annabeth shrugged.“We'll figure it out - together." End of Chapter 5 Category:Gigglesplash The Ranger's Apprentice Category:Chapter Page Category:A Twisting Tail Category:A Twisting Tail Chapters